Today the caravan rolls on.   After breakfast, we pay our bill and head off towards our final base in Penkridge.    Penkridge is a market town and ancient parish in Staffordshire, with a population of around 8,000.   Its main distinction in the Middle Ages was as the site of an important collegiate church, which still dominates the skyline. it is claimed that the founder of the collegiate church of St. Michael at Penkridge was King Eadred (946-55).

We stop in at Edgbaston Cricket Ground on the way through Birmingham but the ground is closed .   There had been a game scheduled but it had been cancelled because of the rain that has continued to fall overnight.   There are no tours available and even the cricket shop is closed so it is disappointing that we cant do anything here.

We move on to Dudley and decide to stop for coffee and/or lunch. There is a market in the High Street but the options for food are looking dim and the only coffee options look like Nescafe instant.   Dudley is a depressing, poor-looking place and we cant get out of there quickly enough.   We find a services stop on the motorway and call in there for a coffee and a pasty.

We complete our day's journey at the Hatherton House hotel in Penkridge.   Penkridge is a market town and ancient parish in Staffordshire with a population of 7,836 (Census 2001).
Many locals refer to it as a village, although it has a long history as an ecclesiastical and commercial centre. The town of Penkridge dates back at least to the early Middle Ages, when the area was part of Mercia .   King Edgar in 958, described it as a "famous place", so it was already of importance by then.   Its main distinction in the Middle Ages was as the site of an important collegiate church (The Church of St. Michael and All Angels), which still dominates the skyline.   It is claimed that the founder of the collegiate church was King Eadred (946-55).

 After checking in and unpacking my bags, I went off for a wander around the pretty little village.   There is a couple of games of bowls happening on the local bowling club - on a green so small they have to play diagonally across the game and its quite amusing when balls coming from different corners collide in the middle of the green.

Tonight we dress up for our final formal dinner.   Its stuffed peppers for me with chocolate gateau to follow and over the course of the evening, WAY too many beers.   Everyone is requested to get up and relate a tale of their favourite moments or memories of the tour. Its absolutely hilarious although Ross doesn't see the funny side when Gill mentions that three of the four Queenslanders are from the Valleys club and that Ross wishes that he was too. Its about 1:30 when I call stumps and am asleep before my head even hits the pillow.